One Piece RP Jailbreak (Subconscious_domain and Chibi_Seme 2011) *private*

[Chibi_Seme2011]

((My first Thread on this site. I'm so happy ^ ^)

 

Feet splattered through multiple puddles as they carried the body they were attached to over pavement and rocks. In the distance, alarms, voices, and the barking of dogs could be heard but the figure didn't stop. He couldn't stop especially since he came this far. He knew what would happen if he was caught. He would be reprimanded. Before being dragged back within those cold colorless walls behind metal steel bars. No matter what anyone else said, he knew that he wasn't suppose to be there. Caged like some rabid animal waiting to be put out of its misery. That wasn't meant for him or at least not this go round.

 

Heavy breathing evaded the night air entangling with the background noises as the rain began to pour even harder. His orange suit was drenched, dirtied, and torn in various places. The six large black letter shown clearly on his back reading "INMATE". The chains bounding his already sore wrists together chimed through the night air and seemed to tighten the further he ran. His feet was aching but so was the rest of his body but he knew that he didn't have the luxury of stopping. He was so close. So close to freedom, to clearing his name. He wouldn't stop. No, he couldn't stop. Not until those two goals where reached and he knew that one way or another he would reach them.

 

He skidded to a halt once he reached the large gate that surrounded the complex of the maximum aecurity prison. He balled his hands into tight fists before he closed his eyes concentrating. He gritted his teeth and with a hard tug the chains that once bound him broke in two. As he heard the barking and shouts from his former ​correction officers behind him, the inmate quickly began to climb the metal gate in front of him silently thanking himself for not letting on that he could break through his chains without much effort. Once he reached the top, he didn't bother climbing down. He easily hosted himself over the side of the gate and landed gracefully into a crouch. He sprinted off into the dark towards the city that he once knew.

 

He's name was Roronoa Zoro and he was innocent.

[Subconscious_domain]

((I might have went overboard a bit... but it's my first rp post on this WHOOOOLE site so I had to make sure it was lengthy and pretty. Or as pretty as it could be with how spacey I was while writing it. I am so ready for it to be my friday. I need my two days off.))

 

It was alarming how average your life becomes after reaching adult hood and moving out on your own. You graduate, get a job and stay true to that job only to get a place of your own and waste away in a never ending cycle of the same thing day in day out. Time flies by with little notice and before you know it you can’t even remember what it was like to be so free. Many think that once you’re an adult you’re as free as you’re ever going to be… but in all honesty, that couldn’t be further from the truth. You get a place of your own and a job to pay for it and maybe you have someone to share it with, maybe you don’t, but in the end you’re just fighting to keep everything the way it was the day before.

 

So that’s why, just like so many times before when he had managed to get home with enough time, he watched the sun dip down and disappear behind distant buildings. He wasn’t one to feel bad about himself, on the contrary, he wasn’t negative in the bit. He had no need to be after all, he had everything he needed. He didn’t think about the specifics of people he used to know or what he had done before now. Nothing would profit from contemplating the differences between then and now. Although, without his knowledge or awareness… a few select thoughts did slip in every now and then.

 

This city wasn’t all that large and it didn’t matter who you were or where you came from but it did not look interesting in the least. It was average after all, if someone was to look in from the outside anyway; but it wasn’t what you could see at first glance that stuck out in his mind the most about this place. Or what he subconsciously stayed for. Being who he was when he was still in school he knew exactly what kind of city this place was. It didn’t matter how certain you were about something… there was always a flip side. Nothing was as it seemed was a saying almost everyone knew and it was the perfect explanation for this place.

 

Anger and betrayal, that only served to spark the lies and crimes, constantly twisted their ways through the streets. He had seen it all first hand and after a certain event… he did what he had to do to get himself out. Though he could still feel it, the eyes watching him, and sometimes he could even see them. Those familiar faces watching him as he crossed their paths. Registering his face and sometimes even following him. It wasn’t anything new; he had been friends with him after all.

 

None of this mattered though because it was behind him. It had nothing to do with him and the fact that he wasn’t behind bars proved that. It wasn’t even worth a thought.

 

He let out a deep breath; the smoke he had inhaled only moments ago from the cigarette between his fingers rose and vanished into the moisture filled air. It had rained a bit, just enough to fill the pot holes upon the street and drop the temperature of the surrounding area. Enough to have him retreating to the safety of his own one bedroom apartment. The second floor balcony seemed to be the only positive thing going for this place and it was also the place he spent most of his time. It was positioned perfectly over the street and since he lived at the top of a hill it allowed him a perfect view of the city.

 

After dropped his cigarette to the cement floor of his balcony and stomping it out, he stepped into his home and pulled the sliding glass door closed behind him. He liked the smell of outside more than the musky smell of a house with no breeze in it but he was hoping to lock out the cold. He made his way to the heater, turned it up just the slightest and made his way straight to the kitchen immediately after. Sometimes he wondered if staying here was really worth it since it seemed that it wasn’t doing any good for him in the long run, but every time he contemplating leaving... that memory would pop up in his mind.

 

He had to remind himself that it wasn’t worth thinking about. It had nothing to do with him and it had long since passed. With that reassurance though, he only managed to ensure that he stayed right on course for living that same cycle each day. Change brought along thought and when he thought too much, he became angry and anger, in all its different forms, was what had been the sole cause for Zoro's arrest.

[Chibi_Seme2011]

((It's fine overboard is good. For being spacey, it was still really interesting. If this is spacey then I can't wait till you're fully rested. ^ ^ Haha yeah after what you had to put up with you defiantly deserve it))

 

A lone figure stood in the pouring rain hiding in the shadows. Harsh breathing was all that could be heard as the figure cautiously picked around a brick corner. Seeing that the coast was clear, he steeped from the dark alleyway and began to walk down the empty sidewalk. His was soaked so he saw no reason in trying to find shelter till it let up but then again he didn't have time for that well not until he found some new attire at least. He was too obvious walking around in a bright orange jumpsuit and his green hair didn't help much either.

 

He continued down the street silently often looking around to see if anyone was around. As he walked, he allowed his thoughts to take over but stayed consciously away of his surrounding. He began to think about little things. People he once knew. His classmates. What were they doing? Did they know what happened to them? Then finally his thoughts settled on a feisty blond who only knew how to do everything to piss him off and disturb his naps he use to take on the school's roof. No matter how annoying the curly browed blonde got, Zoro knew that he could trust the other male. Even if they never admitted to others, they were best friends. They always had each backs when the other needed. So why didn't . . .

 

The screeching of tires in the otherwise silent air brought Zoro from his thought. He quickly looked around to see a car turning down a street a few blocks from him. He looked up at the sky allowing the rain to wash over his face. Shaking his head, he continued to his destination. If he was right then the only exiting thing that ever really happened to this pathetic excuse of a town was his arrest. Sad really. Nothing ever changed in this town when he was younger and he wouldn't be surprised if the placed stayed the same for the past six years while he was gone. Which would mean that the old clothing plaza was still there, at least he hoped so.

 

Once he finally found the plaza, Zoro was pass irritated. He was furious. He had ended on the opposite side of town. It took him an extra forty-five minutes to find his way back to the right side. Then another thirty minutes to find the plaza itself. Damn his lack of direction. Sighing, Zoro walked under one of the overheads as he finally got out of the rain. The neon lights from the signs in the apartment store window illuminated his hardened facial features as he looked within the windows to see which store was right for him. He mumbled under his breath as he bent down picking the lock of a clothing store that caught his interest with some items he found in the alleyway.

 

When he heard the click, he gave a satisfied smirk before getting back to his feet. He took a quick glance around before slipping into the store. He locked the top lock that the owner obviously forgot to lock before leaving. Zoro quickly went to the back of the store using the light from outside to help him manuvor around the different clothes racks. He picked out a few pants and shirts to his liking. He stripped out of his drenched clothes before finding a bright pink shirt that he deemed an abomination to dry himself off a bit so he could put on one of the outfits that he had just picked out. he went to behind the counter and grabbed two plastic bags. He folded his new dry clothes placing them into a bag before throwing the wet jumpsuit and shirt into the other one. As he was walking out from the corner, a small rack caught his attention. Place in the rack was a small assortment of umbrellas. Unfortunately for him they were along the lines of what teenage girls thought as adorable and must haves. To Zoro, they were disturbing but knowing he really didn't have a choice he picked the less feminine one.

 

He walked to the front door with bags and umbrella in hand. Unlocking the door, he walked back out into the night as the rain continued. Sighing, Zoro opened the puppy montage designed umbrella and headed towards his secret spot that he and he alone knew about. Not even the annoying blonde knew about it let alone the members of his 'organization'. Zoro shivered slightly not from the rain or the cold that it brought with it but from the umbrella itself. It felt like the eyes of the puppy's that were on it was staring at him. Judging his every move. It was starting to creep him out. He was just glad that he was a just a couple of blocks away. He gave a sigh of relief when he saw the building and sped up his pace a bit. Once he was in front of the door of his temporary hideout, he looked around double checking that no one was around or followed him.

 

Seeing that it was alright, Zoro pulled out a faintly discolored brick and took out a small spare key that he had hidden there years ago. Replacing the brick, he took one last glance around before unlocking the door and quickly slipping in. He turned on the lights placing the bags and umbrella by the door. He checked the room to see if anything was tampered with. Once he saw that everything was as he remembered he went to the bathroom to take a nice hot shower. He never thought that he would be so happy to have his privacy or hot shower again. When he was finished with his shower, he felt extremely drained. All he wanted was to dive head first into his bed and sleep the rest of his life away. Yawning loudly, he wrapped a towel around his waist heading towards his bedroom. He dropped his towel as he walked towards his dresser pulling out some sweat pants and boxers. He dressed not even caring to go turn off the light in his room or the living and headed straight for his bed. He flopped on top of it and snuggled happily into the warm soft mattress and pillows.

 

Sighing, he turned his head to his night stand when suddenly a picture that he had placed there a while back caught his attention. He lazily picked up the picture without getting up. A small smile spread on his lips as he looked at it. It was of him and the blonde in their first year of high school. It was one of the few times anybody could catch them not being at each others throats. People called it a love/hate or rivalry relationship but in truth it was how they showed that they cared. The only time people should have worried was when the two was completely ignoring each other. He remembered the picture well. It was suppose to be some type of momentum to their unwavering friendship or something like that. They were standing side by side in the picture showing that the few inches that the green haired male had on his blonde companion. Zoro's hand was on the shorter male's waist while the blonde had his hand on the taller's shoulders leaning on them a bit. They both had small genuine smalls plastered on their lips. He ran a thumb over the picture. Things were so easier back then.

 

"Sanji, I'm sorry," passed Zoro's lips in a low whisper as he closed his eyes. He wasn't sure what he was sorry for. Going to Jail? Not listening to him and getting out when he had a chance? Or never telling him the truth of what he was truly into? He wasn't sure but he felt that he needed to apologize to the blonde and one day he wish he got the opportunity to do so.

 

((Almost cried when I was writing this because my computer cut off when I was less than a quarter of a way of being finished. Thank you yaoiotaku for putting an restore auto save button or I would have been devastated. This is a lot longer than I thought I would post but it's about the same length of what I normally do. Don't worry I'm trying to break the habit of making such long posts. ^ ^' ))

[Subconscious_domain]

((Sorry for the wait! Oh no please, I enjoy long replies! I prefer at least one paragraph per reply actually, so if you feel the need to write a lot and it makes you happy to do so… please, write to your heart’s content! I’m gonna do the same too. And lol, for someone who just broke out of jail, he sure is calm. Not surprised though. He don't give a shit. Lucky ass, leaves for six years and still manages to come back to a place with running water haha and electricity xD))

 

There was no way for him to know that a certain someone was roaming the streets again, or that there had been a prison break at all; though the increased number of police cars patrolling areas all over the city did pique his curiosity. No matter all the different criminals that made this town their home… or the number of crimes committed by them; he hadn’t ever seen the police so active. He had always thought that the people Zoro had been involved with were simply ignored by the police due to fear or disinterest in what they did, because even before Zoro had been taken away… they hadn’t ever paid them any mind.

 

He hadn’t heard much about them either but that might be simply because he had cut off a lot of ties back then to keep himself safe. He moved away from the area shit happened most and only stayed in touch with a few people he thought he could trust. But even then, he hadn’t talked to them in quite a while. He hadn’t really needed to. Thanks to a silly childhood dream and an intense amount of stubbornness… he had finally managed to nab a job that he could pour all of his time and heart into.

 

“Honestly son, you can’t expect me to let you flirt with every girl that walks through that door do yah?” the blonde let out a laugh as he scrubbed a dish clean. It was dark, a hard days work behind him. Even though they had someone to wash the dishes and to clean the tables he always stayed behind until he felt like he’d done all he could. “Don’t just laugh! I don’t care if it’s your cooking that keeps em’ coming, I don’t pay you to leave your place behind the stove every time a pretty face walks in.” he would have actually said something instead of laughing again but his boss had hit the nail right on the head. He really was the reason anyone visited this little restaurant and he took pride in that.

 

It has been five years since he’d graduated and in that time he’d managed to work his way into becoming the top chef at a restaurant called All Blue. It took a while but he’d managed to make himself a rather renowned and respected cook. To be honest, this was probably the only thing he had going for him since he’d cut off most ties. He didn’t regret it either. What had happened to his friend, and he used that word very loosely, had changed a lot of things and although he would never admit it to anyone else or even really to himself, it had affected him quite a bit.

 

It wasn’t like it had happened, he shrugged his shoulders and went one with his life. He had been just as angry and confused as the rest of them. He harbored never-ending regret and shame that sat in the pit of his gut as well. It was regret and shame that he wouldn’t be able to ever right and that no one would ever understand. It was just his and it was something that he would have to live with. Cooking was something he did to help pick himself back up but in time it had become his passion. It was amazing how his simple childhood self would have known what he wanted all along.

 

“I’ll see you guys tomorrow!” he said as he let the restaurant door close behind him. Pulling out another cigarette he lit it and brought it to his lips before inhaling deeply. You’d think since he had to walk up a hill to get to his apartment building he would have worked towards getting a car but that wasn’t on his list of priorities right now. Nor did it even cross his mind really since he’d managed to nab a job nearby. Taking a walk too, no matter how long it was, ended up always being the perfect addition to a day like this.

 

((Sorry that it is, again, uneventful. I suppose all I can do at this point is touch on his every day life. Which, because my imagination sucks and I don't want him to have much holding him back when Zoro comes around I figured keeping it simple was best ))

[Chibi_Seme2011]

((Zoro is a total badass so returning from a unwanted ‘vacation’ with electricity and water is normal for him haha))

 

Zoro woke up with a start before snapping his eyes open and taking a quick look around the room. After his eyes adjust, he realized that he was in his own room. Not in the cold jail cell that he was imprisoned for so long. Cracking his neck, Zoro rose from bed smirking. He was free . . . for the moment. Once he took care of everything and cleared his name. He would know what the true meaning of freedom really was again.

 

Going to his closet, he pulled out a quick a pair of black cargo pants and a white tight shirt with a black head scarf. He took his clothes as he headed towards his bathroom to take a long well deserved shower. Stepping out of the shower, he walked over to the fog covered mirror wiping it clean and took a good look at himself.He groaned at what he saw. His normal short trimmed green hair was now down to his shoulders. He even had short bangs that he never knew he had. His eyes were a lot sharper than he remembered. The only think that didn’t seem to have changed much was his muscular physique which Zoro really count since he always known for his well fit body.

 

“I feel like a damn woman checking her makeup,” Zoro frowned at that thought.

 

Quickly, he dried himself off before getting dress to start his day. He stepped out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around neck and his trademark headband on his bicep. He walked into his kitchen and sighed knowing that there was nothing edible in the entire house. Sighing, Zoro went to his living room to retrieve some money that he had hidden underneath the couch. Moving the couch out of the way, he lifted one of the unmarked wooden planks. He pulled out a metal bin that contained a few thousands and a couple of passports.

 

Mumbling to himself, Zoro grabbed a good five hundred dollars before retrieving his keys and walking out the door. As he stood outside his door, he removed the headscarf from his arm before retying it to his head to try and hide some of his green locks. He placed his hands inside his pockets and began walking towards somewhere where he could get a decent breakfast before he went shopping for groceries.

 

“All Blue,” Zoro read the sign of the restaurant before him.

 

Like always, Zoro somehow found his way across town standing in front of the small restaurant two hours after ‘wondering around’. He shrugged his shoulders not really caring at the moment since he was too hungry to really care where he ate as long as it was edible. He entered the food place taking a seat near a secluded corner.He didn’t have to wait long after he ordered his food. He took one bite out of his food before ignoring his surroundings and devouring his meal. Once ordering a good many meals more, Zoro was fully satisfied and left the restaurant happy after leaving a twenty dollar tip not even noticing a familiar blonde calling out orders from the back.

 

After hours of shopping in stores to find food to fill his refrigerator with, Zoro finally made his way back home. He began to unpack his bags and place everything in its rightful place. Once done, he went to sit in the living room with a beer in hand as he began to set up the new phone he just brought while he was out. He laid back against the couch as he dialed an all too familiar number.

 

“It’s been a while Rob Lucci or should I say,” Zoro’s deep voice spoke into the receiver of the phone. He sat up as a dark smirk appeared upon his face, “The Demon Leopard of Gurando Rain.”

 

((Well you don't have to worry about it being uneventful for long because we're about to get into some major stalking soon ;3 Sorry it took so long but I had to do the last bit of my Final Exams and I think I forgot to tell you about that but know everything is good ^ ^))

[Subconscious_domain]

((Just writing random shit. Hope you don't mind! I am enjoying myself though as I await for the stalking.))

 

Was it a ghost that he saw? His lips turned up at the corners in a rather bittersweet smile. He wanted to laugh at what was going through his mind right now... even though it made him feel nothing but an immense amount of guilt and uncertainty. It wasn't like he was family or anything like that. As a matter of fact he cut off all ties to the guy just to keep himself safe from the people involved. That reason though, no matter how honest it was, was so selfish that he really couldn't stomach it sometimes. He hated himself for it which is why he went out of his way not to think about it.

 

The point though was that he wasn't family, he wasn't going to get a letter in the mail and he wasn't going to be called if something actually happened to the idiot. Sanji remembered that he liked picking fights and he liked not taking a step back and analyzing the situation before doing so. So, as much as he didn't want to think about it, It was very possible that he might have done something stupid enough to get him killed in that place. And there was no way for Sanji to even know. So could you blame a guy for thinking like this? When he saw a glimpse of a man that he thought was still in jail?

 

It wasn't like he saw the guys face, heard his voice or got more than a second to look but... when you knew someone well enough, you didn't really need those things. The broad shoulders, the way he held himself and walked out the door. The swing of his arms. It was a number of stupid little details that caught his eye but it was enough to have him at the door that led out to the restaurant. He stood there staring across the room at the front door where the stranger was no longer at. He had only seen a glimpse through the small window in the door but it was enough.

 

He let it go though, chalking it up to a trick of the eyes or to the fact that someone else could have been so much like him. But as he stared down at the table he was told the customer had been sitting at he couldn't it when his heart beat that much faster. It was a stupid thought, and he did end up laughing about it on the way home, but even the customers choice in food was the same. It was one of those days where his mind wanted to fuck with him. He wondered why he did this to himself.

[Chibi_Seme2011]

(( I’m soooooooooooooo sorry for the long wait -_-. I hope this makes up for it.))

It was nearly midnight when the sound of well polished dress shoes could be heard across the concrete covered floor of a construction building A figure emerged from the shadows looking around cautiously. The figure was a tall male with sun kiss skin wearing a black suit and a white tie. To top it off his attire, a top black top hat with a white silk band around it sat upon his head. Long wavy black hair tumbled onto his shoulders nicely as his dark eyes scan the area.

 

“Don’t worry no one followed you,” a slightly deep voice spoke from within the shadows.

The man quickly turned around glaring into the darkness until the figure that spoke also came to stand in the little light that was pouring in from the outside street lamps. The dark haired man’s eyes widen slightly not much to be noticed by anyone who didn’t know the man. He smirked at the figure before him, “I’ll be damn. So I wasn’t imagining things when I got a call saying that the Demon Swordsman wanted to meet with me.”

“No, I can guarantee you that I am the real thing,” Zoro returned the older man’s smirk as he stepped into the light. “But I’m sure that you can guess why I called you, Lucci.”

Lucci nodded his head. He had questions for the green haired male but he knew that it was better to wait until they were behind closed doors before they began to discuss anything. Even though they were at a construction site in the middle of the night did not mean that it was safe in truth it just made their situation that much dangerous. Lucci put his thoughts aside before he nodded for Zoro to follow him.

Knowing that Lucci was one of the extremely few people that he could still trust, Zoro followed the older man out of the construction building and past the gates that he had sneak over a little over an hour ago. The pair walked through the empty streets silently leaving each man to his own thoughts. Lucci made sure that he stayed between Zoro and the road. Though it was dark, there were still a few cars out on the road and he didn’t want anyone to accidently recognize Zoro especially since the man didn’t think to put his bandanna on to cover his hair but since it was grown out some he knew that some people would mistake the green haired male for a woman. An ugly, manly woman but a woman none the less if not a wannabe hippy or at least he hoped people did.

Luckily Lucci didn’t leave that far away from their meeting point hence why he didn’t bring his car. He lived in a nice apartment complex. If Zoro was right it was the same one he had once shared with the blonde cook for almost a year before he was arrested. Shaking his head, Zoro didn’t allow himself to dwell on the past. He had to much to accomplish before he could. If Lucci wanted to ask what the younger was thinking, he didn’t and his face didn’t give anything away but then again Lucci was an expert at apathetic expressions.

Zoro kept his head down and to the side so neither the cameras nor the guard on duty could recognize him. It also helped that Lucci had used his talled body structure to hide the smaller male while casually throwing his arm around Zoro. The two stayed like that until they got into the stair case. Lucci lead the other male to the six floor and down the hallway to apartment 604. They entered making sure that the all the locks on the door was completely in place before they went to take a seat on the two couches in the center of the room.

The place reminded him of his old one. The main level, where they were sitting at the moment was a large space that could easily be converted into three separate and comfortable spaces to do whatever with or in Lucci’s case one large ass living room. The section behind Zoro as he sat on the couch in front of Lucci was a good size kitchen that could easily fit five cooks in it without any of them getting in the others way and a matching dining set. A flight a stairs lead to the upper level which held a suite, two master bedrooms with adjoined bathrooms, and an extra bedroom with a bathroom beside it instead of inside the room.

“If I’m correct you still have a few more years on your sentence,” Lucci stated off handedly as he got comfortable on the sectional in front of Zoro looking at the green haired male expectantly.

Zoro sat back in his seat, “yeah well I got off on good behavior.”

Lucci snorted making Zoro glare at the older brunette, “If you got off on good behavior then you wouldn’t have had me meet you in the middle of the night. You would have just come over, pick the lock on my door, and made yourself at home like you normal do.” Lucci locked gazes with the man in front of him, “So stop the crap Zoro. How did you really get out and what are your attentions while you’re on the outside.” A growl from Zoro made Lucci frown a bit. “I say ‘while’ because you know just as well as I do that sooner or later they are going to come looking for you. You haven’t burn you bridge with me yet so you still have my loyalty and respect but I can’t help you if you don’t come clean about something.”

Zoro stared the brunette down for a while before sighing, “There was a riot right before shift change the other night. So, the doors weren’t fully locked. With a good shove anyone could have reopened them. During the confusion, I made a break for it and jump over the fence facing the woods making it harder for them to follow me. Luckily I never let on that I could break my chains and was able to throw them as if I was going to the next town before I back tracked and headed this way.”

“Well, even a stray can find it’s way home,” Lucci smirk as Zoro shot an un-amused look his way. “So you’ve been here for a full twenty-four hours,” receiving a nod of conformation from Zoro Lucci continued, “which means that if they don’t come looking for you themselves before the week is over then they will hand it over to the city police which means that we will have to deal with the new police captain.”

This time it was Zoro’s turn to snort, “What you don’t think that I can handle some pig still wet behind the ears and straight from the academy?”

Lucci just stared at his young friend, “If it was that simple then I really wouldn’t give a damn if they handed it over to them. In fact, I would have just told you to stay down until they did but that isn’t the case.” A frown marked the taller male’s face as he placed his elbows on his knees while resting his schin on his entwined fingers, “The new police chief is . . .Smoker.”

A moment of silence.

 

“SHIT!”

((Ok I’ve decided to make this into two parts because this is extremely long and I don’t want to give too much away just yet.))

[Subconscious_domain]

((Baby come back! You can blame it all on meeeeeee~ Just hoping you're still around. Sorry for such a delayed reply.))

 

Sanji, who remained oblivious to who now roamed the streets and to how involved he would soon become, stood at a clean and polished table with an expression that didn't seem to match. It was closing time, all candles that were placed upon the tables were put out... except for this one that he stood before. "Honestly, you'd think you'd know how to answer a phone."

 

"I'm guessing you're not here for a good meal?" She was stunning. More so than he remembered and she was stunning in all meaning of the word. No longer a student like the last he remembered her, but a woman, and it showed more than he wanted to admit. She was one of the few that he kept in contact with. However, he only kept in contact enough to have her recent phone number and a vague idea of what she was doing with her life.

 

"Nami, shouldn't you be managing your shop or something?" last he heard she had opened a clothing store. Something small but something that seemed to be doing quite well. He even heard that she was thinking of expanding it and buying up a larger building to move to. "It's late so it's closed. I have a life outside of that you know? You should have a life outside of this restaurant too. You know, besides your bed at home." something happened to him. It wasn't something he wanted to admit but he lost himself when he lost a certain someone.

 

If he were the same person he used to be, he wouldn't have passed up a night with the beautiful Nami. "Robin's coming too, she wants to see you. Everyone wants to see you." for probably the fifth time in only this last year, she was trying to bribe him into going out with her. Not romantically, no, she was a free spirit and he doubted baggage from her high school years was something she found attractive.

 

"Come on." she said suddenly, leaning back in her booth seat and crossing her arms, "You're not going home tonight. We're talking and then you're going out with us. Ussop is going too, as well as a few other people I picked up. Haven't actually gotten to talk to you in almost a year. Let alone hang out like we used to..." there was a moment where her eyebrows furrowed just a bit, the corners of her mouth dipped low in a small frown that she quickly did away with. With one eyebrow raised, she changed her approach, "When was the last time you were with a woman?" she wasn't offering herself was she?!

 

He panicked for just a second before she chuckled, "Just do it, this once. I won't bother you for a while after this. Come out for the night, drink a bit, dance a little, talk a lot. We miss you. And maybe you'll pick up a cute little thing in the end which I'm sure you need." He fought her for about five more minutes before he was locking the restaurant up behind them and walking into the night with Nami on his arm. He should have known not to let his guard down, especially with how she was dressed. She was dressed to party, sexy and dangerous and he had let her talk him around in circles before giving in.

 

Needless to say, he didn't want to enjoy this. However, he felt a bubble of excitement bubbling inside of him... and a smile formed only a few seconds later. Well... he supposed he would see what the night had to offer.

 

Nothing happened that he hadn't expected to have happened. He wasn't so sure as to why he had put this off for so long. Maybe it was because there was someone missing, and that there was always someone missing.

 

At the end of the night, it was about one thirty in the morning, he had downed himself a good few drinks. He wasn't drunk off his ass of course, but he was happy. It was the first time in a while that he was able to just say whatever. Although there were a few things he knew he would regret in the morning for saying. Like mentioning that he thought he saw Zoro just yesterday, which, not only killed the mood for a while but probably made him out to look like a lunatic for just as long.

 

All in all though, it ended ok and the only thing he had on his mind was a hot shower and bed as soon as he made it home.